Rapid material optical diagnostics method

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method for utilizing optical measurements to determine properties of a material. Ellipsometry is used to measure the polarization state of a light beam reflected from or transmitted through a material. Utilizing ellipsometry, two or more Mueller Matrix elements are determined by variation of the polarization state of the incident light. The angular-dependences of the Mueller matrix elements are plotted in a plane, and the symmetrical relationships between the various Mueller Matrix element distributions are then be determined. Upon determining symmetrical relationships, two and/or three dimensional atomic or molecular arrangements of atoms or molecules in the material are determined. Based on the two or three dimensional atomic or molecular arrangements, a material property, such as chiralty, may be determined.

1 . A method to determine properties of solids from optical measurements, the method comprising:
 illuminating a material with a light source having a known polarization state, wherein the light source is directed at a non-normal angle to the material and is received by a detector;   detecting the polarization state of the light source received by the detector such that two or more Mueller Matrix elements of the material may be determined;   acquiring data of the two or more Mueller Matrix elements based on a plurality of combinations of an angle of incidence and an azimuthal angle of the in-plan sample relative to an incident light beam;   plotting a plurality of angular-dependences of the two or more Mueller Matrix elements in a plane, wherein the plot displays variations from an average element with both an angle of incidence and a sample in-lane azimuth;   determining one or more symmetrical relationships between the two or more Mueller Matrix elements; and   analyzing the one or more symmetrical relationships to determine one or more two or three-dimensional atomic or molecular arrangements of atoms or molecules in the material.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a visual computer-aided technique is utilized to determine the one or more symmetrical relationships between the two or more Mueller Matrix elements. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a pattern-recognition technique is utilized to determine the one or more symmetrical relationships between the two or more Mueller Matrix elements. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the two or more Mueller Matrix elements of the material may be determined by variation of the polarization state of the incident light. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the light source is received by the detector after the light source is reflected from the material. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the light source is received by the detector after the light source is transmitted through the material. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising determining the position within the Mueller Matrix descriptor system that is given within an appropriate coordinate system. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein one or more p- and s-polarizations are determined. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising determining one or more properties of the material. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more properties of the material includes chiralty. 
   
   
       11 . A method to determine properties of a material, the method comprising:
 acquiring data of two or more Mueller Matrix elements based on a plurality of combinations of an angle of incidence and an azimuthal angle of the in-plan sample relative to an incident light beam;   plotting a plurality of angular-dependences of the two or more Mueller Matrix elements in a plane, wherein the plot displays variations from an average element with both an angle of incidence and a sample in-lane azimuth;   determining one or more symmetrical relationships between the two or more Mueller Matrix elements; and   analyzing the one or more symmetrical relationships to determine one or more two or three-dimensional atomic or molecular arrangements of atoms or molecules in the material.   
   
   
       12 . A system to determine one or more properties of a material, the system comprising:
 an ellipsometer component configured to measure the polarization state of a light beam;   a plotting component configured to plot one or more angular-dependences of two or more Mueller Matrix elements in a plane; and   a symmetry component configured to determine one or more symmetrical relationships between the two or more Mueller Matrix elements.   
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the ellipsometer component comprises a light source and a detector. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the ellispometer component measures the polarization state of the light beam after the light beam reflects off the material. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the ellipsometer component measures the polarization state of the light beam after the light beam transmits through the material. 
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 12  further comprising a material arrangement component configured to determine one or more two or three dimensional atomic or molecular arrangements of atoms or molecules in the material. 
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 16  further comprising a property component configured to determine one or more properties of the material based on the one or more two or three dimensional atomic or molecular arrangements or atoms or molecules in the material. 
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein one of the one or more properties is chiralty. 
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the symmetry component utilizes a visual computer-aided technique. 
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the symmetry component utilizes a pattern-recognition technique.